


The Wildling

by assistedtouch



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Blow Jobs, Cunnilingus, Devotion, Eventual Smut, F/M, Falling In Love, Fantasy Fulfillment, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Healing Sex, Injury Recovery, Love at First Sight, Magic, Major Original Character(s), Masturbation, Mentions of past abuse, Moral Dilemmas, Multiple Orgasms, Not Canon Compliant, Past Sephiroth/Cloud Strife, Porn with Feelings, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Kink, Pregnant Sex, Protective Sephiroth (Compilation of FFVII), Sane Sephiroth (Compilation of FFVII), Self-Discovery, Self-Esteem Issues, Sephiroth's (Compilation of FFVII) Terrible Childhood, Sex Magic, Sex in strange places, Slow Burn, Star-crossed, Survival Training, They do not abuse each other, Vaginal Sex, Wilderness Survival, bonding from shared experience, recovering from abuse, so much cum
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-15 22:20:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28820610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/assistedtouch/pseuds/assistedtouch
Summary: Post-Nibelheim Incident, Sephiroth has been in hiding in the North Crater, working on some unknown plans. To his surprise, a woman has been living around the cave, having also run away from society. Their encounter may help them both heal their deep wounds.*No rape, no gore, though there are some mentions of past emotional abuse and of scrapes and injuries from living in the wild. Note the tags, and note that there will be eventual pregnancy kink.*
Relationships: Sephiroth (Compilation of FFVII)/Original Character(s), Sephiroth (Compilation of FFVII)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 44





	1. Discovery

**Author's Note:**

  * For [envysnest](https://archiveofourown.org/users/envysnest/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Snakeskin](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28352616) by [envysnest](https://archiveofourown.org/users/envysnest/pseuds/envysnest). 



> envysnest inspired me to fall in love with Sephiroth again when she started publishing "Snakeskin" (so good!! pls check it out!). The idea of a little traumatized wildling connecting with Sephiroth jumped out at me and I ran with it. Thanks envysnest for the inspiration. xoxo
> 
> * mentions of past trauma, no depictions of rape/non con, but mentions of her numerous experiences of emotional abuse * they do not abuse each other but there may be some hard bumps on the journey towards harmoniousness *

**_Wildling_ **

_We can play a beautiful game,_

_You can chase me down_

_All the way_

_To Love_

_I want to play a beautiful game_

_Even though we’re gonna lose_

_I adore you_

* * *

Chapter 1: Discovery

I was in the Northern Mountains when he found me, or I found him. My skin was covered in scrapes and cuts from living in the wild for so long. I was on a typical exploration of the area and stumbled on a little ridge on the side of the large mountainous cavern. I crawled along it, leading me inside the hollow of the crater. I looked down in awe at finding another human being. Only, he didn’t appear human at first, just a mirage of beautiful iridescent light, pinks and greens, which I watched from a hidden crevice for several weeks, nervously.

Then I saw that these colours became darker, until they took form, and took shape of a man in black. The ethereal colours I had been watching could still be found in his long pale hair, and soon I would see them in his eyes as well.

Each night I watched him sitting, meditating, or practicing martial arts, or pouring over old books, and performing what looked to me like magic. I’d never imagined any of the incredible things he did were possible. I surmised I had found something beyond what should have reasonably existed in the world.

During the day I gathered sustenance to keep me alive, berries and bugs, and spent time swimming in my secret hot springs lagoon amidst the snowy peaks. I had lived atop the mountain for several years, after leaving society as I knew it. Every encounter I had in the world had crushed my dreams and expectations, the memories of relations that turned sour and caused harm still haunted me, though the ghosts became fewer and farther between. I chalked that up to Time, but I suspected that nature and my indomitable spirit helped out.

I’d made a few friends in my years in the snowy peaks, all of them were animals. A curious small wolf cub found me and stayed with me, silvery and grey, with a small snout and perky ears. She was my main friend, I could trust her, unlike the humans in my life.

Some nights I would stare up at the night sky, witnessing the billions of silent stars, their pulsating twinkling light telling me messages I longed to understand in order to feel less alone, less like all things in the world were futile. How could any of this exist if it was always filled with ache? I forever believed that there must be an answer, even if I wouldn’t know it for years, or perhaps ever in this lifetime. I still believed it was there. But I knew it was best for me now to be alone, in the wild. Humans were not safe for me to be around, they caused too much harm.

When night fell I would silently creep along the inner crevices of the large cave, peering down at this strange man-creature’s work. Did he come from a distant star, a supernova, whose exploding brilliance sent him careening across the galaxy to be here, so close to me? Did I will him here by speaking to the stars for so long? Clearly my fantasies desired meaning and connection despite the fear of humanity.

On this particular night I sat as I often did, Wolf out hunting in the valley. Alone, I sat, and watched, in silence. I saw him tinkering on machines, his long black cloak swishing side to side as he moved. He wore massive black boots, though rarely could I catch a glimpse of his face, leaving me with a breathtaking view of his long silvery hair swaying with his movements, the light of the moon bringing to life the array of colours I had initially seen, shimmering pink and green in translucent strands.

Perhaps it was because I had been so comfortable with my routine of silently making my way to my perch that I became less vigilant about my presence, but when he finally turned, and I caught a glimpse of his face, a tiny _gasp_ emanated from my lips, and my heartbeat filled the cavern with a thunderous roar. His electric blue eyes shot up to me like a hawk and found me in the crevice of the cave wall above him. A single black wing that I hadn’t previously discerned from his entire black outfit drifted out from his right side, and to my surprise he _lifted_ off of the ground, up, up, and up, coming up towards me.

My face bore all of the fear and shock as I sat paralyzed, breath stilled and heart pounding, as I silently debated with the voice in my head yelling at me to run. But I couldn’t tear myself away from his gaze, which had slowly morphed from anger to a cold, neutral gaze of assessment as he climbed closer to my place in the little crevice on the cave wall above him.

My hands gripped the cold rock around me as he approached me, somehow floating up until his feet found the stairs before my tiny burrow. I was kneeling down, mouth open in awe and shock, petrified. I couldn’t keep eye contact with him any more and so they darted around his face, studying his cheekbones, eyebrows, nose, his open shirt that felt obscene, and I blushed even as I knelt paralyzed. He landed and knelt down on the stone stair before me, face at eye level to mine, one corner of his mouth smirking, turquoise eyes burning, and let out a tiny laugh.

“Good evening, little one,” he said. His voice was deep, as smooth as velvet, and I nearly fainted. I could feel my limbs starting to tingle, and I knew that it was my body deciding to faint, to go unconscious as a way to safeguard itself from consciously suffering. I’d felt it before, in the times I was attacked by men in my past.

“Breathe,” his deep voice spoke to me. I was surprised he was showing concern towards me. My breath was shallow and lips were trembling. “Hm. Spying on me but can’t deal with being caught huh?”

“S-s-s-sor-sor-sorry-sorry,” I muttered and stuttered, fighting against the panic closing in on me. I did not want to faint in this strange, dark, creature’s company. I thought about Wolf and wished she were near. I wished I was brave.

“Breathe.”

“Ok, ok, ok, ok, ok,” I said, my body shaking and shivering. So many memories, so much fear.

“Good girl, just breathe.”

“Ok, ok…” my breath started to even out and become deeper, and the tingles in my feet and vision started to diminish. I looked at him again. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t spying on you…”

He cocked his head to the side, still carrying that menacing smile. “Oh?”

“No, I mean…” I thought about the truth, and realized that I had been spying, I had been violating his privacy for weeks. I re-found the agency within me and took a single, deep, controlled breath and held it momentarily, feeling my heartbeat steady, before exhaling slowly. “You’re right, I was spying. And I am sorry. I was very curious to see you. I just, there’s never anyone around here, and, I was just, fascinated…”

He let out a soft chuckle that relaxed his torso, and I felt overpowered by the realization that he was massive. His shoulders were twice the width of mine, and it looked like I would be dwarfed by him if I were to stand and face him. My few years of wild hunting tactics of small animals seemed meaningless against the sheer size of him and the way he carried himself with immense control and calm.

Neither of us spoke then. He studied deep into my soul and my character beyond my appearance, with a look of neutral curiosity, before starting to rise to standing. I wondered what he saw, and whether it was true, or whether he saw what he wanted to see, like everyone else had.

“Who are you?” he asked me.

“M-my, my name, you mean?”

His eyebrows furrowed in annoyance.

“Uh, um, my name is Ar… Aries.” I wasn’t normally one to stutter, and I impatiently waited for myself to calm down and regain total composure. I started to shimmy my way out of my crevice in the stone and slowly stood before him. He looked down at me, the same expression on his ghostly face.

“Hm.”

I once again dug deep into my core to regain my strength of self-determination and spoke from a place of power, with my shoulders back and neck long. “I live in the mountain.”

He looked over me, taking in my appearance. I wore a thick white fur coat atop my thick white wool dress, though the white had become dirty with mud and the wild. My face was covered in tiny fresh scratches from an incident with a twisted bush. Various hunting weapons were tied to my waist and shoulders, and my legs though he couldn’t have seen those. Or perhaps he could have seen everything and I wouldn’t have known.

“You live here?” he raised one eyebrow.

“Yes. Well, not right here, but not far from here. I just happened to be here when you arrived, and I was taken aback, and I should have said something to let you know I was here, or just have gone away I suppose, but, well, I didn’t. I haven’t seen anyone in a long time, and I’ve just never seen anyone like you…” I took a tiny step towards him, barely registering that at my tallest I would only come up to his collarbones, and looked him squarely in the eyes. “Did you come here from a distant star?”

At that, his expression finally brightened, he looked genuinely surprised. He let out another soft chuckle. “No.”

He watched my shoulders gently drop.

“Why?”

I thought about his question and hesitated on how to proceed. I didn’t want to be called crazy again, but my few years of staring into space and concocting dreams of beings from stars had convinced me I would be visited by them. “I… nothing, it doesn’t matter.”

To my surprise he started to close the distance between us. I could feel my heart starting to race and my adrenals burst as I frantically weighed the appropriate response, whether to stay or run. Something told me I wouldn’t be able to outrun him despite my strength gained through the last few years living in the wild.

As he got closer, and closer, I became aware again of his sheer size, my head having to raise ever upward to keep eye contact. He reached one of his gloved hands forward as he stood in front of me, grabbing ahold of my chin. I gasped and reached my hands behind me for leverage on the cave wall.

“You shouldn’t be here,” he said to me softly but solidly. “It’s dangerous.”

As I stared into his eyes, I knew he was right, but I was mesmerized. “Why? It’s no more dangerous than outside?” I knew I was being petulant, but I was transfixed and wanted to know more, everything.

“I don’t have patience for that. You know it’s true.”

My lips parted with a gasp as I saw in his face a depth of sorrow I hadn’t noticed until then. I felt immediately that I recognized that look. His other hand started to raise towards my face, moving a few hairs from out of my eyelash. The breath between us, a shared space of vibrating energy. Then a strange ball of pale green light seemed to form in his hands and I felt a warmth caress my cheeks — he had mended my scars.

My eyes opened wide in surprise and they darted from each of his, and I could feel the presence of emotional overwhelm rising in my throat as my eyes glistened, containing both the tremendous fear of not knowing whether he was going to harm me, and the tenderness of being cared for and healed. I fought back tears as I managed to find the words. “Who are you?”

“You don’t know?”

I frowned, confused. “No. How did you do that?”

He looked at me curiously, dropping his hands to his side. “You don’t know who I am?”

I shook my head gently, my expression incredulous. “No.”

He let out a deep sigh. “You should go, please.”

“What, why…”

He started to open his jacket, revealing the hilt of an elegant but massive sword that somehow had remained hidden by his long coat. My eyes darted back up to his in shock, and I turned, gasping, as I ran back into the crevice, racing out of the cave towards the safety of my own lair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quote at beginning is by Grimes, in the song "Idoru".


	2. A Day at Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter tags: self-pleasure, self-stimulation, masturbation, dreams, shame. [Note: he doesn't appear in this chapter, this is for our heroine, but he'll be back soon!]

~ ~ ~

**2**

**A Day at Home**

As I raced back along the interior of the mountain, a whirlwind of thoughts flew by me. What just happened? Who was this strange being? How did he seemingly _fly_ up to me? Why didn’t he attack me? I grew angry by thinking that I was helpless before him, frozen in front of a potential enemy. I was angry at the feeling of powerlessness, again.

Being in the wild had shown me that there were more enemies beyond the confines of human manipulations, and taught me the limits of my physical abilities. But here, encountering another human — a man — for the first time in years, and freezing… I was so angry with myself. My tears of humiliating rage burned out the corner of my eyes as I ran through the cold mountain walls. Sure, I might not have been able to physical fight him, considering his sheer size alone, but also his armour and weapons seemed as if they weighed more than I did, and he would be able to easily destroy me at his will.

So why didn’t he destroy me?

I emerged from the mountain side, a sharp cold wind burning my face as the pre-dawn’s faint light peered from the eastern horizon. Tears of frustration ran down my cheeks as I furiously sprinted along the cliff edge, made harder by the overnight snowfall. Wolf heard me and bounded down the mountainside to run ahead of me towards home, turning now and then to assess whether I was alright or not.

I ran, and ran, punishing myself for my failure at nearly fainting; I pushed myself to exhaustion, welcoming the wicked wind’s frozen brutality and the difficult terrain.

“How could you be so stupid?” I questioned myself, not even sure which part was the stupid part. Was I stupid for spying on him in the first place, for letting down my guard, for choking, for running away? Was I stupid just because so many people had told me so in the past and I believed them? On some level I knew that I wasn’t stupid, and that my freezing was a normal response of the perception of threat. Yet, he didn’t harm me. In fact, he healed me, I thought as I briefly brought my hand to my cheek, feeling nothing but smooth skin.

I slowed and started to laugh. “Gods,” I said, with a chuckle, peering up to the stars overhead, looking at them one last time before the rising sun would blind me from them. Laughing seemed like the only release from the tension and heaviness I had inflicted on myself through shame of weakness. “You’re not stupid,” I told myself, determinedly. "He healed you. At it's only logical that you froze. Go easy on yourself."

I looked to the peach-coloured light rising on the horizon, and breathed in deeply. I had a vision of the planet turning in space, slowly, silently, with the endless passage of Time. It seemed peaceful, yet I knew even space was inhospitable and crushing. Nowhere, it seemed, was safe.

I sighed at the thought, trying to find peace with this seeming truth. There was violence in the world, it seemed to be true no matter where I went. Yet I strove to find pockets of existence that weren't violent, that were instead filled with ease, maybe pleasure, but at least a feeling of safety. I knew that's why I was so frustrated with myself, because I had encountered an experience that seemed as if it might have threatened violence, and I had only wanted to find pleasure. I knew that I would try to forgive myself for freezing, and for judging myself so harshly. I just had to shake it off of me, which I had mostly done through tears and physical exertion. 

Turning from the rising light, I continuing along towards my home with the crunch of snow under my boots, walking at an easy pace now. As Wolf and I entered my own cavern’s hidden entrance, she turned to me and whimpered. I knelt before her, wrapping my arms around her and burying my face in her soft furry neck as she pushed her head into mine. “You don’t hurt me.” I hugged and hugged and hugged, sending her all of my love and gratitude for her unconditional friendship. "I hope I never hurt you as well." 

Releasing her after a few moments, she turned and licked the side of my face before sitting back down. I sat on the fur blankets and started a fire, thoughts still racing and turning. She licked my cheek one last time, right where _he_ had healed me with his seeming magic. Wolf butted her nose against my neck. “Ok, ok, I’m here, it’s ok,” I assured her, petting her as she lay down and put her large heavy head in my lap.

I leaned back against the cave wall, running my hands through her thick fluffy fur, watching the firelight flicker against the cavern’s glistening walls. The soft glow of sunrise peered through the entrance. I sighed deeply, lifting my free hand to my cheeks to feel the smoothness where there had been broken bloody skin. What mysteries did this man carry with him? Was this real? Why should I have known him? Serves me right for living out in the wild, losing touch with everything.

Questions spun around in my head: Why were his eyes like that, galaxies stirring within them? Why was he dangerous, in what way? What was he doing in the crater, tinkering away on things for so long? How did he heal the scrapes and scratches on my cheek? What was the light that came from out of his palm?

My eyes started to feel heavy, lulled by the soothing crackle of the fire. The questions started to change shape. What was the sorrow behind his eyes, that I felt so familiar with? Was his skin as soft as it looked? What was he smiling at? Was the feeling that I was safe in the company of a man who declared himself dangerous, was that real, or was it just another ache for longing that ignored all of the signs and put me in harm’s way? Was the feeling in my body that wanted to speak to him again just another case of unfulfilled need for connection? Was I simply longing and lonely, once again fantasizing and seeking comfort in the arms of a dangerous monster?

My eyelids become unbearably heavy. I started to sleep, and dream. I dreamt of a meteor. It burst forth from a supernova, a dying star, hundreds of billions of lightyears away, rocketing across the galaxy, passing star after star, outer planet after outer planet, passing worlds as it raced through Time. And in its stead it shot forth a glorious trail of light in shades of silver.

I watched it from the top of the snowy mountain, a great ball of radiant energy. From my mountain peak I could see it travel across space, and saw it come closer and closer to me, trails of iridescent pinks and greens sparkling around it. I watched it come towards me, and felt no fear. I lifted my hands to it as if I could draw it into me. In my dream, I could see its destination on its trajectory would be my private hot springs, the emerald lagoon nestled among the northern mountain range near my home just a mile from the North Crater. I leapt from the top of the mountain crest, and joined the meteor as it dove into the lagoon.

When I awoke, the fire had long since gone out, but Wolf still slept against me. I nudged her off of me, lighting another fire, and peeled off my layers that I had been too exhausted to remove. I placed them near the fire to help dry them from the snow and sweat. I started to heat up a small pot of water from melted snow, placing herbs and some dried fish in it that I had caught a few days beforehand. Wolf got up and trotted outside to relieve herself, and perhaps to sniff out any edible rodents nearby.

The sun had since risen towards its peak, and I brought my stew out to the edge of the cave entrance to bathe in the warm light. Both helped to strengthen me, and I felt grounded again in my sense of self. I was no longer filled with bitter resentment of myself, of my perceived weakness, or of those I blamed from the past. I simply felt a hint of ease and restoration from the sleep, the light, and the broth.

I was shaken out of the peace by a flash memory of the man in the crater, by his broad forehead, his cheekbones and his jaw, the imposing size of him, but especially by the firelight in his eyes that shone forth from a mighty soul. My breath caught and I tried to obtain the ease that I had found a moment ago. But the vision of his face so close to mine before he _healed_ me… I found myself lost in it. My heart started to beat faster and I felt warm.

 _No_ , I thought to myself. _Get a grip, stop going into fantasies. He’s dangerous, he said so, leave him alone._

I thanked my voice of reason, and sighed, taking in the morning light again as I finished my broth. But the voice of reason was no match for the continuous images flashing behind my eyes, of him practically levitating up towards me, of his gaze as it pierced into my entire being. It was no match for the memory of how his massive frame dwarfed mine, yet how gently he held my chin as he healed my cheeks. I felt a shift in my body as my mind kept going over the details of his face, and of the sensation of the vibrations between us.

I leaned back against the cave entrance and felt the light of the sun kiss my scarless cheeks. The memories of his deep velvet voice sent a luscious wave down my entire body and I started to run one hand along my torso, offering myself the tender touch of the sun and the sensuousness of the memory of his voice and his gaze. The encounter played over again in my mind, and my hand started to go lower. I knew I longed for more.

Turning away from the sun, I re-entered my cave, peeling off my layers of clothes and laying down underneath my few pieces of fur I had wisely brought with me when I ran away from the world. My naked skin felt soft against the warmth of the blanket’s hairs, and the gentle crackle of the fire soothed me further. I drew my hand down to my stomach, and one to my breast, gently kneading it. My lower hand found my clit and I softly stroked it while I envisioned his face so close to mine, peering into his narrow turquoise eyes and the vast promises they held. I let out a soft moan as my lower hand stroked myself. I was already wet.

I separated my legs wider, relaxing into the safety of my lair. My lower hand started to curl into myself, slowly pulsing into me as I thought of his broad shoulders and what he could do to me. I wanted more than I could give myself, a thought that I hadn’t entertained since leaving my town. I wanted to feel the energy of his body near mine, and the effect of his eyes as they stared into mine. I wanted to feel his skin, I wanted to run my hands along his shoulders, and lower. I wanted to feel his hands on my body. I was so turned on by the intimate encounter with this man that even two and then three of my fingers felt like they could barely sustain the tension I needed.

I turned onto my stomach, enjoying the feeling of the soft furs caressing my naked ass, and moved both hands down. One hand played with my clit while the other fucked myself. I imagined him on top of me from behind, my ass pushing against him as he fucked into me, holding my hips with his enormous hands and pulling me hard against him. I spread my legs wider, pushing my fingers deeper and flicking my clit faster. I imagined him banging against me harder and harder, and pictured his pained expression as he tried to contain himself from what I imagined was excruciating pleasure.

Picturing being the source of his pleasure nearly made my heart burst from its cavity, and I pushed my fingers harder into me. I could feel myself approaching the edge, and imagined him fucking me deeper still. I felt proud to take all of him, and wanted to feel what it was like for him to cum in me, to spill all of his hot load deep into me. But I felt the lack in real life. I had been happily alone until just the last few hours. My lips wanted to feel friction, my tongue longed to be part of the play. I knew I felt incomplete, but my mind pushed it aside and I was absorbed again by the visions of this giant magical man fucking me senseless. 

What put me over the edge was envisioning him thrusting into me completely, believing that I was the best fuck he’d ever had, that he wanted my pussy more and more, until he couldn’t handle it and he pushed himself deep into me as he groaned out a roar, filling me with an endless stream of hot cum. I cried out as my pussy clenched and my legs bound together. My entire body compressed into itself with a wall of tension at the fantasy, and my heartbeat pounded in my chest. I left my fingers where they were, feeling the continued quavering of my inner walls as I panted into the blanket beneath me.

I stayed that way for a while, lingering in the languid haze of fatigue and pleasure, acutely aware of the emptiness of my cave, before finally throwing the fur off me. I got up and walked to the cave entrance, emerging into the mid afternoon sunlight wearing nothing but my dirty socks. I reached for some snow to wash my fingers, enjoying the rays of light that warmed my skin. I smiled into the light and stretched my arms overhead as Wolf came bounding up to me, proudly carrying a rabbit in her mouth.

“Well, thank you for dinner, Wolfie!” My mood lifted and I happily scratched behind her ears, turning to go back into my home. My cheeks flushed at the secret fantasy of having just been fucked by this man who, I had to finally admit to myself, was profoundly beautiful. Yet potentially-dangerous. These issues seemed far away and I didn't want to entertain them anymore. I wanted to stay in the blissful haze of only pleasure, no worry. 

The late afternoon Sun kissed my bare body, and I felt lovingly exposed to the elements, the now cooler-wind that licked between my legs and left my nipples hard. I giggled and sauntered back in to prepare a rabbit stew. 

* * * * * * *


	3. The Lagoon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter tw/cw: brief voyeurism episode at the beginning, otherwise it's all pretty Sephirothy, including mention of Nibelheim.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*

**3**

**The Lagoon**

*.*.*.*.*.*.*

The sun set, darkness fell, and then it was light again. The earth spun, the cycle of day and night went by in a blur, my mind far away in my head while my body did all the same tasks I’ve done for the last few years: ensuring enough sustenance was available, keeping my home as tidy as possible when your home is a cave in a mountain, and doing basic drills to keep my muscles strong.

I would keep my eyes open to see if there were any signs of the man in black, but I heard or saw nothing. But the memory of the encounter stayed with me and I was left shocked at the realization of how much more I needed to develop my strength if I wanted to be prepared for a potential attack by him in these barren mountains where no one would come to my rescue.

Picking up my staff and dagger, I practiced jabbing and slashing, crouching and somersaulting, and meanwhile my mind wandered into a fantasy about dueling with _him._ I tried to ignore the visual in my mind of him pinning me against the wall.

“No!” I yelled and threw the dagger against the wall with a grunt. I would not let the fantasy get the better of me. I was annoyed at myself for fantasizing about a stranger who pronounced himself to be dangerous, for crying out loud. 

_He would have done you in already if he wanted to,_ my voice of reason spoke.

“Whatever,” I replied to myself, frustrated, and picked up the dagger.

I didn’t dream of the meteor again, but I did think of it and wondered what to make of it. I decided to visit the lagoon again, something I did often enough anyway, where I could wash myself as well as try to clean my filthy clothes.

I put out the fire, waking Wolf from her afternoon nap, and we went outside. The mid-afternoon sun glared down on us. I again looked around to see if he had followed me, but there were no footprints or discernible signs, so I made my way over to my secret lagoon, nestled in a tiny valley among the mountain range peaks, hidden by tall pine trees and endless snow.

Regaining my physiological and mental balance was pivotal to maintaining my entire wellbeing. I had left society in order to avoid disrupting my internal stress systems. It was here in the hot springs where I knew I could restore my equilibrium from the stresses of the encounter; this is where I found my solace after initially settling myself in the mountains. Here is where my muscles and memories both found ease and relaxation.

Wolf and I came around the corner through a small clearing. I put down my weapons and started to take off my coat and boots, letting my bare feet touch the cold snow. Then my dress and under garments, until I was finally bare. I stretched into the cool sunlight and smiled at the beautiful day.

Step by step I waded into the turquoise lagoon, its natural heat already helping to melt away tension. Wolf lapped a few sips at the edge and then lay down, rolling in the snow playfully, picking up on my renewed ease. I let myself be submerged in the water, hoping it would wash away the recent experiences of fear. It felt good against my dirty skin.

I had been trapped by large animals before, but could fend them off mainly through my small size, and of course Wolf’s help. The fear at not being able to protect myself from this man made me angry. I was angry at the imbalance of human society, the cruelty of others, the gods, and the experiences with men that had led me here on the edge of the world. 

Resting on the edge of a sheer rock cliff on one side of the lagoon, I sighed deeply and let myself sink into the support of the rock as the water covered me entirely up to my neck. I started to feel relaxed again and let my hands caress my skin, offering myself a kind of tenderness that I was imagining receiving from large gloved hands.

 _Stop imagining him_. That petulant voice of reason.

I looked around me to be sure there was no one there. Then I started to smile and closed my eyes as my hands played over my chest and stomach, enjoying the sensuousness of the warm water against my skin. Eventually I subconsciously moved a hand down to my clit and stroked myself slowly, without any goal other than enjoyment. I sighed and let my shoulders soften, imagining someone kissing my neck, rubbing my back, filling me.

A silence followed, the sound of snow gently falling on water.

But the silence was short lived.

The sound of a small pebble falling off of the cliff above me caught my attention before it made a small _splash_ next to me.

I gasped at the intrusion. Wolf lifted her head quickly, ears perked, and got to her feet, but she otherwise stayed silent, an interesting sign of security that I took notice of before I turned to see where she was looking, toward the top of the cliff behind me.

I turned to face the source of the fallen pebble.

“Aries.” The velvet voice sent a wave through me and I covered myself with crossed arms. _He_ was standing on one of the ledges of the rock cliff a dozen feet above me. We stared at one another for a time, and I felt lost, suspended once again in a silent paralysis between fight or flight.

I mentally scanned any escape route, remembering where my clothes were and which weapons I brought with me. But the voice in my head knew I would never escape, _if_ he chose to attack me. Such is the imbalanced and unfair law of the universe, it seemed.

Sephiroth glanced briefly at Wolf to assess her, his expression stone cold, then his piercing green-blue eyes fell again on me. I had the impression once again that he was staring into my very _being_ as he did in our first encounter, and wondered again at what he saw. A rosey flush came over my face as I wondered if he could see what manner of visualizations I had with him just a few short days prior. He smiled as he noticed the rose colour covering my cheeks.

I was acutely aware that I was entirely naked, and that the bright blue water was crystal clear. My hair fell around me, helping to obscure my nakedness from him, as did the steam rising off of the water’s surface. Nothing could obscure my thoughts from the forefront of my mind: I saw myself face down, him behind me.

To my surprise, he started to remove his shoulder armour, then his cloak, his boots, and belt buckle. I stared in dismay, and gasped. Before I knew it, he was as naked as I was. My brain darted from thought to thought, confused and unsure, but it did not fail to register a study of his form.

His skin looked soft, his muscles large and defined, his thighs broad and athletic, and his thick cock risked wiping all thoughts from my mind, permanently.

His single black wing drifted out from behind him, and he effortlessly departed from the rock cliff, gliding through the air down to the lagoon, eyes never leaving mine. His feet, I noted, were large but defined, as were his ankles, calves, knees — I absorbed every image of his body parts as they gracefully descended into the water before me. My jaw was dropped in dismay at this unusual turn of events with this unusual man-creature, and my heart fluttered as he let out a low _hum_ with the pleasure of the warm healing waters, now immersed fully, save for his head.

“Thank you for showing me the way here,” he smirked at me. I became aware of how long my jaw had been open for, and I consciously closed it as I regained my composure.

“I didn’t. Were you spying on me?” I demanded. “Isn’t that hypocritical?”

He softly laughed as he put his head under water. He came up and wiped the water off of his face. “Hmm. Maybe, but I suppose we’re even now.” He swam around, and I came to think that he was playfully enjoying himself. Perhaps he needed this stress relief as much as I did. Maybe more.

My body was still on alert but I registered that there was little real evidence of threat: he had disposed of his weapons, and Wolf had not growled. There was also an ease in my gut that I took note of.

Yet I still felt angered by the intrusion, particularly as I was, indeed naked. “This is my lagoon!” I insisted, as he came up from another dive. He responded by lifting one eyebrow at me. Wolf sat by, staring with attention, evidently unsure how to proceed.

“Is that so?” he smirked. I had the distinct sense that arguing was going to be entirely futile, and I tried to think of how to be in this situation that would assure me of my safety and wellbeing. I hated arguing, having been tricked in them in the past by ill-intentioned people.

“I left society for this,” I said sternly. “I came here for solitude, to avoid people.”

“Did you? But that’s not to say that this is _yours._ ”

“Well, I just meant that…this is my safe place, and you’re violating it and I don’t know who you are or if you’re going to hurt me.”

“Trust me, I’m keeping it quite safe from anything else that might want to come here.”

“That’s not what I mean. I’m sure you can easily attack and maim anything that crosses your path, and that might include me, which is precisely why just your being here means it’s not my safe space now. I don’t know you. You said you were dangerous.”

“I am. And you really don’t know me?”

“No, I told you I don’t. So, it would probably be best if you leave, thank you.” With the newly regained power in me, I became able to move my body again. I swam over to Wolf to reassure her that I was ok, as far as I knew.

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to harm you.”

“That’s what they always say.” Gods, how could I be so bold. I was afraid he would retaliate. There was silence for a while, Wolf now and then licking her snout, the late afternoon sun’s rays glistening off of the fresh snow as the occasional powder clump fell from the surrounding pine trees. He broke the silence.

“I… I apologize,” he looked thoughtful. I half turned to him, as I continued to pet Wolf on the edge of the lagoon. “For the intrusion.”

“It’s…” I started. _Don’t say it’s ok, don’t say it’s ok._ “…ok.”

An awkward silence developed. He leaned on the far edge of the lagoon against the rock cliff wall, and I kept my back to him as I pet Wolf. She shook her head, indicating she was quite finished with receiving my attention.

I sank back into the hot pool and turned to him.

“I’m sorry,” he started again. “I shouldn’t startle people like that I guess. It’s a habit.”

I frowned at him. “What are you doing here?”

“I was… curious. Like you were.”

“Curious about what?”

“You.”

“Me? Why me?”

“Just a feeling.”

My stomach flipped a little and I felt exposed. He was incredibly intimidating. “What’s with all your armour? Are you some kind of military man?”

“Sort of.”

“Are you a bad guy?”

He chuckled softly but a shadow fell over his face. He hummed and looked away. “I don’t know, maybe I’m a monster.”

There was another silence and I eased into it, breathing a little more normally despite the monster reference. I leaned back against the edge of the rock cliff and exhaled.

“How did you do that, with your hands, and the green light,” I gestured to my face. “How did you heal my cuts like that?”

“It’s nothing.”

“What are you really doing here?” I asked, letting my hands play across the water.

“Getting away, like you.”

“Away from what?”

“Everyone.”

“Hmm.” I avoided meeting his eyes, looking instead at the water patterns made by my dancing fingers. I didn’t know then how mesmerizing he found it. “Why?”

He didn’t answer right away, but watched my fingers thoughtfully. “I recently found out some very disturbing information,” he said softly. I looked toward him, taking in the sight of him: water dripping down his toned muscles, his silvery hair flat against his chiseled cheeks, eyes always alight. At my angle I couldn’t see below the water mark, and I was glad for it otherwise my flushed cheeks may have betrayed me even more than they already had.

“It made me angry,” he continued. “It made me question everything I’ve ever known to be true. I had to get away to think, and plan.”

“What are you planning?” I kept asking innocently enough.

“Total world domination, of course.” The glint in his eyes and the smile on his face made me wonder if he wasn’t altogether serious.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Huh,” I grunted, half-amused. “And you’re doing that from out here?” I studied him and kept languidly skimming my fingers along the water.

“Like I said, just taking some time to plan and prepare.”

“And you’re going to do that by yourself?”

“Yes.”

“Interesting,” I let my fingers continue to play on the water as I cocked my head toward him. “So what happened? What’s this disturbing information?” I felt playful and brave, now that I was more assured he wasn’t going to hurt me.

He took a breath and leaned his head back on the cliff wall, his gaze falling distant. “Imagine everyone you’ve ever trusted lying to you your entire life. My mother… she…” he paused and I could tell he had memories flashing before his eyes just as I had done. He held his breath and then let it out. “Everyone who raised me and conditioned me lied to me in ways more enormous than you can imagine. It’s not safe for me to be in society. I will hurt people for the generations of deception. The endless cycle of idiocy and cruelty. I already have — I burned my friend’s hometown to the ground.”

 _Oh dear. A clear red flag_ , I thought. But then, didn’t I also have enormous urges to raze my own society to dust in anger? Wasn’t I also a red flag?

“So I’m not even sure who I am anymore,” he continued. “But I’ll have my vengeance.”

He shook his head, presumably to shake off the ‘disturbing information’ plaguing his memory like deer-flies, then went back underwater, swimming around the bottom at length, and I wondered at his enormous lung capacity.

When he came up, I looked him over. He sighed deeply and turned towards me, watching me from across the narrow lagoon. I still wanted him to leave so that I could feel safe again, but deep down I knew I wanted him to stay, for despite the unknown variables, I was openly curious about not being alone.

I turned back towards Wolf and reached for my under garments, but it meant having to lift my body slightly out of the water and I am sure he had a good view of my naked ass. I brought my clothes back into the water with me, my back to Sephiroth, and I started washing them in the pool against the rock edge. The silence between us lingered as the sound of the soft wind brushed through the trees. I hadn’t known what to say in response to _vengeance_ but I decided to speak again.

“Well, thank you for acknowledging the intrusion. I suppose you can stay, but please don’t do anything you shouldn’t do. I come here for peace. Maybe in the future you should come here whenever I’m _not_ here, so that it can be a healing place for each of us, separately.” I continued to wash my clothes as my back faced him. I couldn’t see what his reactions were, but he hummed an agreement.

“That seems reasonable,” he responded. “I doubt I will be up here for very long, but I’m not sure yet. Lots of things are in motion, or they might be soon.” I wasn’t sure at the time what it was that he was talking about. “You said you saw me arrive?”

“Yes, I did.”

“How long did you say you lived out here for?”

“I’m not sure — I’ve lost count of the years and days,” I said flatly as I washed my clothes. “Why?”

“Well, I’ve had this place for what I would wager is a significantly longer period of time than you’ve been up here for.”

I looked at him and cocked an eyebrow. “Ok?”

“So my _arrival_ would really be more properly classified as my _return._ ”

“I guess. So what?”

“So what? I just want to be clear about how long you’ve lived out here and who arrived first.”

“So am I like, in your space or something? Do you want me to leave my cave, because you were here first?”

“Feisty one, aren’t you?”

I looked away and continued to wash my garments.

“No, you don’t need to leave _your cave_ ,” he said with a smile. “Though maybe you’d like to show it to me one day.”

I was grateful my back was to him otherwise he would see the bright rouge bursting across not just my cheeks but my chest as well, as my core stirred.

“Is this is your… animal?” he gestured to the great white friend beside me.

“This is Wolf, my friend. She’s been with me since she was a cub. She’s my best friend.” Wolf bowed her head and leaned into my hand.

“And you hunt together, and live out here, doing… what?”

“Well, I just, _live_. I’m trying to get over a lot of bad memories, like you it sounds like, and I had to get away from everybody in order to do that. It’s a work in progress. The memories haunt me sometimes, but I’m trying to practice what my teachers taught me about letting go. About de-knotting myself from the threads of memory, with compassion in order to heal. I study the stars, trying to understand it all.” I turned and looked at him, a little surprised by my admission.

His jaw was slack and he was looking at me with intense attention. I turned back to my clothes. “It’s very hard,” I continued. “But it’s peaceful, if not a bit lonely sometimes. Which is why I’m glad that I have Wolf.”

He looked thoughtful, and let out a faint _hum_ of reflection. “And you crawl through mountain crevices to spy on people.”

I smiled at his teasing, my back still to him. “Well, you’re the first person I’ve seen out here, to be fair. I was very curious. I’m sorry. It’s really just monsters in these parts, though not so much by the lagoon. That’s why I come here.”

“Ok, so where is your teacher?”

“He, uh…” I stopped cleaning my clothes and stared into the forest before me, as memories I had been trying to let go of flashed behind my open eyes. I winced.

“Hmm… I see,” his deep silky tone was oddly soothing. He had noticed my body language shift. “Being betrayed by those closest to you is a cruel experience. He should be punished.”

I turned and looked at him. “Why would you say that, you don’t know them at all.” He looked at me in a way that I couldn’t understand, and there was a pregnant pause between us, before I admitted, “A little bit, anyway, yes… I wish he were punished.”

His eyes drilled through me as if he was seeing my past and my memories. “Quite a bit more than _just a little_ , I think,” he said, not entirely incorrect. I bowed my head in the heaviness of the anger and hurt that I still carried.

“I am trying to let go of it," I replied. "If we just go around wounding the people who wounded us, we’ll all just be wounded.”

“So you’d rather protect the ones who hurt you, from getting hurt?”

“I know it sounds backwards, but it’s what I believe. Don’t you?”

“No,” he replied firmly. I looked at him again and watched as his breath deepened and his posture became taller. “Those who cause deep wounds should be eradicated, burnt to nothing.”

I froze slightly. The moral considerations deliberated back and forth in my mind. “It seems… like an over reaction.”

“Oh really? Would you be content with your teacher, and presumably many others like him, to go on lying and hurting others? Betraying them? Ripping their worlds apart? Don’t you think there might be a duty to stop them, all of them?”

“I… I’m not sure. Part of me wants that, wants to feel their suffering, justice, retribution. But maybe they were lied to as well… maybe it’s just generations after generations of deceptions and harm, and not anyone’s fault. It’s just, nature.”

“Yes, I agree.” He moved closer to me, his long silver hair gliding along the water behind him. I inhaled sharply as his figure came into the forefront of my mind once again. “And all of this… nature, this humanity… it should _all_ go. It should all be decimated. Rebuilt.” His eyes were filled with fire.

My lips parted in awful realization as our eyes locked, him still approaching from the far side of the narrow lagoon. “You mean… everything?”

“Everything.”

He was getting closer.

“The planet?” I asked, my heart pounding.

“Everything.”

He was now just in front of me, his soft smile curling at the corner of his lips, which I couldn’t help but stare at, having to lift my gaze to meet his height.

“But, if it’s all gone.. how can you rebuild it? What will be left?”

He chuckled softly as he tilted his head at me. “I have some ideas.” My core pulsated.

“Oh. So you _are_ dangerous.”

“Yes, I am.”

“You tried to decimate humanity.”

The space between us felt electric.

“No, I _succeeded_ in decimating a village. I am _probably_ going to decimate humanity.”

A brief silence followed us as I digested the truth of his terrifying actions. “How could you do that?”

He took a breath before responding. “The village? I learned a truth that was so horrid, it drove me to madness.”

I stared at him for a while, incredulous, and scared. “Do you regret it?”

He looked at me, our eyes connecting and a vibration hummed between us, coursing through my heart and into my loins.

“It’s complicated,” he finally responded.

“Well.” I had nothing to say.

Breaking our gaze, he changed the topic. “You didn’t answer my question, do you hunt or does she hunt?“ he asked, gesturing to Wolf, moving away from me slightly.

“We both do,” I answered, turning to her, still imagining pictures of a village on fire. He glanced at my pile of belongings.

“With what weapons?” he asked. I thought it was a curious question but realized he was clearly a skilled swordsman and fighter, judging by his armour and massive sword.

“Well I have a dagger, and a spear, and a staff and a bow,” I listed my weapons to him with pride.

“Is that all?”

I faltered, suddenly feeling foolish with these weapons compared to his presumed arsenal, judging by his own armour, his physique, and his sword. But I promised myself to not lie. “Yes, it’s all I have,” I said, embarrassed.

“How do you survive?”

“I survive fine, and Wolf is an excellent hunter.” Her eyes opened and looked around, seeing whether she was needed.

I heard him move and I turned to look at him. He came towards me and I started to tense as he drew closer, the proximity to him a clear reminder of his height and width. His brilliant eyes locked onto mine as he passed by me. I noticed the nearly imperceptible flicker of them as they glanced down briefly at the image of my body underneath the water, the tiniest upward curl of his lips, then he walked out of the lagoon and picked up my staff. My jaw dropped again at the sight of him before me, the massive length and girth of his cock removing all cognitive capacities from my mind.

“This is not strong enough to survive a real attack. I can provide you with a better weapon.” He put the staff down, toyed briefly with the little dagger, then walked into the water again, this time staying towards the edge beside me. Wolf watched, but placed her head back on the ground where she lay. My cheeks flushed with him so close to me and I felt exposed. How could he wander so confidently around me when he didn’t know me?

“Would you like that?” he asked me gently, looking into my eyes as he stood beside me.

“W- would I like… what?”

He smiled. “Would you like a stronger staff?”

I had to break eye contact, it was overwhelming me. My chest felt like it was on fire, and I was aware that I was becoming aroused by the overtly sexual space between our naked bodies — and by the starlight dancing in his blue eyes. I swam away towards the middle of the pond.

He swam towards me. “Would you like me to teach you how to use it?”

We were only two or three feet from one another, and I became more and more aware of this humming vibrational energy between us. I saw for the first time how the water around him seemed to glow ever so slightly where it touched his skin.

“Who… are you?” I asked him.

“I’m nothing, I’m nobody.”

“That’s clearly not true, you’re here before my eyes, and clearly are very powerful.”

“Am I? What if you reached out, would you feel me?”

I hesitated, again feeling my cheeks warm, even on top of the natural warmth of the hot spring. What if he wasn’t real? What if I was losing my mind, and he was just imaginary. “Yes, I’m sure.”

He stayed where he was, an offering, an invitation. I don’t know what my reasoning was, but I decided to reach my hand forward. I hovered my fingertips above his chest for a few heartbeats before letting them make contact with him. His skin felt soft and warm. Electric shockwaves channelled their way through my fingers and my cheeks blossomed with a blush as my pussy clenched involuntarily. His soft chuckle was becoming a familiar sound.

“You see, you’re not nothing,” I said breathlessly, stunned by how _wide_ he was. Visions of my self-loving fantasy from a few days prior flashed by my open eyes and I held my breath as I imagined him pushing me down into the floor as he took me from behind. My eyes were glazed, my jaw slack.

“Mmm yes I suppose you’re right,” he smiled at me. “Thank you for showing me that I’m something.”

As I went to remove my hand, he grabbed my wrist with his massive hand and he softly enveloped it, lifting it out of the water and turning it so he could study my palm. Wolf lifted her head to watch. I was nervous, and afraid, but wanted to stay and immerse myself in these hypnotic feelings of sensual exploration with this massive, powerful, strange man.

“What are you doing?”

“You seem to be a little warm, so I’m going to cool you off.”

As I digested the cheeky comment, my eyes soon focused. Out of his hand came a faint blue light, and suddenly icicles were placed on my open palm. I stared in awe. “How did you—“

“You have really no idea who I am.”

I looked up at him, he was so close to me. I stood firm on the shallow side of the lagoon, and by making myself stand taller my breasts lifted out of the water. I wasn’t ashamed. “I have the impression that I’m really supposed to know who you are, that you really want me to know. Why? Why is it so surprising to you that I don’t?”

“Mmm,” the low vibrations of his thoughtful moan did something unspeakable to my inner thighs, as his eyes peeled down along my nose, lips, jaw, my throat, collarbones, and finally my wet breasts. For a second the look in his eyes suggested he felt it too. “I’m delighted that you don’t know who I am. That makes two of us.”

He started to pet my palm with his thumb as his eyes softened, and my chest blossomed in a rush of blood. Who was this stranger? Why did I let him so close to me?

He spoke softly but plainly. “You remind me of myself. Being betrayed by those closest to you. I want everyone to burn, but I want to help you.”

“Help me? With what? Do I look like I need your help?”

“What will you do when your pet is no longer here to help you?” he said firmly, his voice more passionate now. He pulled my wrist in towards him and I crashed up against his chest, gasping as I looked up to him. “Your weapons aren’t enough. I’ve known hurt, and I see it in your eyes. I hate that this universe exists where people like you, and me, will only know betrayal, and suffering. So I want to help you. And maybe in doing so, you’ll help me also.”

I heard the thunderous beat of my heart pounding in my ears. “How?” I asked breathlessly.

“By talking with me, letting me visit this lagoon, who knows.”

I suddenly felt small and overwhelmed, unsure if I was being taken advantage of. Before I knew it I felt that aching ball in my throat, the one that contained all of the pains and sufferings and rumination of the past, the unfairness of life, the longing for something good and beautiful but the deep belief that I would never experience it, all combined with the raw anger and pain at the numerous betrayals by my teachers and those closest to me, together with the fear of this man before me.

I couldn’t stop it, the wave of tears came back again and my eyebrows furrowed as the enormity of the feelings surged through and out of me. I pulled my wrist back from him and turned away, facing the mossy wet rock cliff wall. Sobs of painful tears bore their way out of me as I futilely hit the rock with my fist.

I could feel his presence behind me. He didn’t reach for me or touch me, and I was aware of my own sense of loss, and longing — I wished he had held me then, and I felt pathetic for wishing it. Our bodies had been exposed together in the sensual silky hot spring for what felt like an hour by now. I had seen all of him, and I am sure he could see all of me. As afraid as I had been, and perhaps still was, I had enjoyed his touch and wished he had reached for me, comforted me, and held me. But I was also glad that he did not.

“What happened?” he asked, and I heard a genuine confusion in his voice.

“Shit, I’m sorry…” I sniffled and tried to shut up. “I just… I just feel really overwhelmed and am really tired of being taken advantage of.”

He hummed thoughtfully. “Take a moment to imagine what it is that would make everything better,” he told me. “Visualize in your mind’s eye the answer to all of the torment. What is it that you want to happen, what is it that you need?” he asked me.

I sucked in a tearful laugh in dismay. “Oh gods, I don’t know. Change everything? Make me stronger? Make bad things stop happening? Take me off of this stupid planet?”

“I can do those things, if you want. Is there anything else?”

I turned towards him, utterly confused. He was so close to me, our naked bodies separated by mere inches of clean, clear water. Our long hairs swirled around us, intertwining.

“What do you mean? How can you take me off of this planet? Why do you want to help me? I’m nothing, just a little stupid idiot in the mountains. I’m going to die here, alone, betrayed by everyone, and so are you, because there’s no other option, there’s no great cure, nothing is going to change the way people are. There’s no trust, no love. This planet just… really fucking sucks.” My tearful eyes stared up at his and he looked at me with a soft knowing smile.

“Yes, little Aries, I agree,” he said sweetly, taking my hand from below the water. I flipped my hand and grabbed his wrist, but my fingers barely made it halfway around it. “That’s why we should do something about that.”

“I don’t want to burn the planet down.” I sniffed and huffed.

“We’ll see. I want you to talk with me, help me find a way.”

“A way?”

“To achieve the satisfaction we both long for.”

I was lost in his gaze as he towered over me, yet I felt as if there was a world opening before me, one where I might not be so powerless.

“Show me how you do magic. Teach me to fight.” I told him rather than asked. “Show me. I want to learn.”

“Mmm… alright. But, surely you can do better. Close your eyes for a moment.”

I stared at him with mistrust. He didn’t try to persuade me, but after a moment, I closed my eyes.

“Picture all of space and time. Picture infinity. Feel all of the power of the universe surrounding you, the lifestream winding through your heart just as it is pulsating in a star billions of lightyears away. Somewhere in there is the answer you’re looking for. Can you picture that, can you feel that?”

I hummed, trying to squash down the butterflies in my stomach fluttering with the stroke of his thumb on my palm. I paid attention to any images flashing in my mind’s eyes: my teacher, ex parters, ex friends, anyone who I’ve ever known, and all of their betrayals. I saw their faces with rage. I tried to see past them, not wanting the answer to their wounds to be just more rage against them, but it was hard.

“No,” I opened my eyes. “All I see is the faces of people I hate.”

He chuckled softly and let go of my hand. “Good. That is useful. Look, I’ll teach you magic and anything else, on one condition,” he spoke, clearly, firmly, but softly.

“What is it?”

“That you do not consider me your teacher, and that you are not my student.”

I frowned. “Why?”

“These are dynamics that I won’t cross. I’m not your teacher. I’m not your saint, your father, your master. I am a monster, here in your lagoon.”

My eyes darted from his to his single wing. “You… you are, aren’t you? You are… a monster?”

His smile returned. “Yes. Yet, I’m nothing. I’m nowhere, and no one. But I can answer your wishes for you, and help you.”

“And in return?”

He chuckled softly, reaching one hand for the side of my head, running his thumb along my cheek. “You mean other than give you all that you want? You can help me rebuild. But just talk with me, spend time with me.” A fire was burning in my deepest core. “You are a treasure, Aries. Here, waiting for me in these mountains, my little fate.”

An entire shiver ran down my body as he leaned down and placed his warm soft lips on my cheek. My body was frozen in place, my heartbeat slowed, as did the world around me. All the sounds of the world around me fell silent, as this tall one-winged angel held my head with one giant hand, his pillow lips lingering on my other cheek. I knew his body was mere inches from me but he kept his frame from touching mine. The respectful gesture didn’t go unnoticed.

“Please, wait, will you at least tell me your name?” I whispered to his ear.

He removed his face from my cheek and looked me in the eyes, our noses nearly touching.

“My name is Sephiroth.”

“Sephiroth,” I repeated timidly.

He chuckled softly, then turned away from me. “I’ll come and find you again soon. Thank you for sharing your lagoon with me.”

His giant black wing rose from the water and he lifted himself up into the air, ascending to the top of the rock cliff and out of my vision. He was gone. The sun disappeared behind thick beige clouds and the snow fell silently among the pines.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and shares are greatly appreciated! Thank you for reading and joining me on this strange journey. Trying to churn out chapters while I can.


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